Clasp



July 16, 1935. E, 5 MIX CLASP Filed Dec. 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. 5:MIX

July 16, 1935.

CLASP Filed Dec. 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awe/who'l Ed'wz'n 5. Mix,

Patented July 16, 1935 UNITED STATES CLASP Edwin 8. Mix, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Hickok Manufacturing Company, Inc., Rochestel, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application December 20, 1934, Serial No.758,484

16 Claims.

associated therewith be of an ornamental nature and they are generallycomposed of gold, silver and other precious metals. These preciousmetals are more or less expensive, increasing the cost of production ofthe articles. when such articles are nickel plated or otherwise enameledand the polished surfaces of the articles become discolored and worn.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a claspfor garment holding or other purposes and obviate the expensiveness ofgold, silver and other precious metals as well as the unsatisfactoryenameled finishes to common metals and provide a new and highlyornamental article of adornment by the use of common inexpensive metalscovered with non-metallic materials of a character to appeal to theaesthetic senses of those interested in or looking upon articles of thepresent character.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of anecktie holder ornamented and embellished by means never beforecontemplated in the necktie holding art, in particular, as far as I amaware, and which is accomplished by means not only such as to appeal tothe aesthetic senses, but at the same time provide for an increase infrictional engagement of the clasp with the necktie or other wearingapparel to which it may be applied as well as to prevent injury orpressure marks being formed or impressed on neckties or other wearingapparel by the clasp. In other words, in one instance of embodiment ofthe present invention, a clasp constitutes the necktie holder and itincludes an ornamental bar adapted for disposition across the front ofthe necktie. The back of the bar, through the instrumentality of myornamenting and embellishing means, is caused to present a surface ofmaterial on the rear face or back of the front bar to contact with thefront face of finely woven or other fabric neckties to prevent injury tothe front of the necktie or the formation of pressure marks on the frontand rear faces of the necktie.

A still further object of the invention is to provide something new inthe way of an article of adornment particularly designed in structure inthe nature of a clasp for wearing apparel of a character capable ofembellishments not permissible with clasps composed solely of exposedmetal or similar material.

It is still further designed to provide a new There are times article ofmanufacture in which the coldness and hardness of metal is enveloped orin part at least covered by a softer material resulting in theproduction of an article of manufacture pleasing to the eyeand resultingin the production of certain articles giving an entirely new effect anda different appearing article than heretofore known in certain arts.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel 10 combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood thatvarious changes in the form, proportion and minor 15 details ofconstruction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

In the drawings:-

Fig. l is a front elevation of the invention applied to a shirt andnecktie.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the clasp when not in 25 use.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the front bar of the claspshowing a modification.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the front bar illustratinga modification of the 30 invention.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing another modification of the invention.

Fig. 'I is a front view of the front member of the clasp showing amodification of the inven- 35 ion.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a face view of the front bar showing still anothermodification of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view on the line l0|0 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a face view of still another modification of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thereference character A indicates one type of clasp which may be used fornecktie holding purposes but equally as well usable for other purposes.The particular type of clasp illustrated forms no part of the present 50invention and is shown merely for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention. The specific form of clasp illustrated is fashioned after theclasp illustrated in my Patent No. 1,981,740 dated November 20, 1934,and therefore, the particular clasp need not be described in detailherein. Sufflce it to relate that the clasp illustrated includes a frontbar I of any suitable inexpensive or other metal having one end bent, asat 2, and bifurcated as at 3, to form a support for a spring pressedlever 4 having toothed or other segmental shaped side flanges 5 adaptedto coact with the rear face or back of the front bar I for claspingpurposes.

The clasp is adapted to connect the necktie 6 with the buttonhole hem lof the wearer's shirt 8, with the ornamental front bar I lyingsubstantiallytransversely across the front of the necktie. Obviously,the two flaps of the necktie may be connected together by the claspwithout connecting the clasp with the wearers shirt and it is equallyobvious that the inner flap and shirt may be connected together by theclasp if desired and particularly when it is preferred not to displaythe ornamental front bar across the front of the necktie.

It is the front bar of the clasp which is generally exposed to view inthe use of the present article as a nectie holder, and it is thereforethis front bar which it is my purpose to give a new and highlyornamental effect. To this end, I may, in some instances, completelyenvelop the front bar I by a covering of plain or ornamental materialforming a sheath for the front bar and composed of various leathers,such as snakeskin, calfskin, pinseal, lizard, alligator or the like, orthe covering may be of plain or variegated fabric material. In otherinstances, the front bar I may be but partially covered by such orsimilar material.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the bar I is preferably covered bysuitable covering material- 9 of any suitable ornamental nature andwhich preferably extends from the free end of the bar I to the inner endthereof and preferably over a portion of the bend 2 of the clasp, asshown. In some instances, the covering 9 may be made up in tubular formin any suitable manner open at one end and slipped or telescoped overthe front bar I after the front bar I has been primed with a coat ofcement or any suitable adhesive. If preferred, the interiorof thetubular covering 9 may be primed with a cement or adhesive or both theinterior of the tube and the bar may have a cement or adhesive appliedthereto prior to the application of the tube 9 to the bar I. When thebar I and the covering 9 are thus placed together they are effectivelyconnected together under the influence of the cement or adhesivematerial by a pressing of the two together.

By virtue of the softer material, such as leather, fabric or the likeapplied to the hard metallic front bar, and especially to the back ofthe latter the finely woven fabric or other neckties will not becomeinjured or have formed thereon pressure .markings incident to theclasping of the neckties,

. wearers shirt. With or without the padding I0 there isa cushioningeffect of the pressure of the lever 4 against the bar with the shirt andnecktie or either between the clasping member and the front bar I.Padding material other than the strip of padding material I0 shown couldbe employed. I

The back surface of the front bar may be embossed with some satisfactorypattern such as knurled or fluted characteristics to more securelyeffect closer adhesive connection between the bar and the covering. Thecovering material of whatever material employed prevents slipping of theclasp on the tie and prevents imparting and injurious pressure whichwould otherwise mark the necktie as previously stated. If desired theback of the covering material itself may be knurled or fluted orotherwise roughened to further aid in preventing slipping of the claspon the necktie.

The covering for the bar I need not necessarily be composed of a tubularmember as described. The covering may be composed of a sheet I I whichmay be wrapped around the bar I and a portion of the bend 2 and thehorizontal edges of the sheet disposed in abutting relation as shown atI2 in Fig. 5 or the longitudinal edges of the sheet may be overlapped asshown at I2 in Fig. 6. In either of these last forms both the bar andthe inner face of the covering material or either may have cement or asuitable adhesive applied thereto prior to applying the covering to thebar by pressure or otherwise and of course the covering may be otherwiseapplied to the bar if desired so long as an effective connection betweenthe bar and covering is made to prevent slipping relative to each other.

As shown in Figs. '7 and 8 any one of the afore said or other coveringsmay be cut away at the front and upper and lower edges of the bar midwaybetween the ends of the bar to expose the front bar at such portions.Such exposed portion may be given a paneled effect as indicated at I3either before the covering is applied or after the covering has beenapplied and a portion cut away as stated. Instead of the panel I3 it isobvious that an initial, emblem or other symbol may be formed on theexposed portion of the bar.

Instead of cutting away the front portion of the covering the latter mayremain complete and a panel or decorated band I4 of any suitablematerial may be securely fastened in any suitable manner around thecovered bar as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 or as shown in Fig. 11 a helicalstrip I5 may be secured in any suitable manner around a central portionof the covered bar. Various other methods of decorating the ornamentalbar may be employed in carrying out the objects of the presentinvention.

It will thus be seen that by virtue of the present invention I amenabled to provide clasps for necktie holding or other purposes havingvarious coloring characteristics to effectively blend with differentlycolored neckties or other articles of wearing apparel worn by the wearerand that in addition to a highly ornamental new type of clasp itembodies functional characteristics essential to articles of the presentcharacter in order to prevent dislocation with relation to wearingapparel as well as to overcome possible accidental loss of the article.

What is claimed is:

l. A garment clasp including a bar adapted in use to extend over thefront of the garment, a clasping member carried by the bar and coactingwith a portion of the rear surface of the bar for clasping purposes, andan ornamental covering for the bar having at least a portion thereofover the rear surface of the bar forming a nonslipping surface at therear face of the said bar to coact with the clasping member and of amaterial to increase friction between the bar and the garment over whichthe covering extends.

2. A necktie clasp having a bar adapted in use to extend over the frontof a necktie, a member carried by and coacting with the bar to clasp ashirt front and the necktie between said member and the rear face of thebar, and an ornamental covering f or said bar having a part thereofextending across the rear surface of the bar and increasing thefrictional contact of the bar with the engaged portion of the necktieand forming a non-slipping tie engaging surface to coact with the saidmember in clasping the necktie.

3. A necktie clasp having a bar adapted in use to extend over the frontof a necktie, a lever carried by and coacting with said bar to clasp thetie and portion of a shirt front between them, and an ornamentalcovering for the bar adhesively united thereto and extending across boththe front and rear faces thereof, the covering at the rear face of thebar forming a non-slipping tie engaging surface to cooperate with thelever in clasping a necktie.

4. A necktie clasp including a bar adapted in use to extend over thefront surface of a necktie and a member carried by and coacting withsaid bar to clasp the tie and a portion of a shirt front between them,and an ornamental fibrous covering for the bar adhesively united theretoand concealing the same and forming a nonslipping tie engaging surfaceat the rear face of the said bar to cooperate with the said member.

5. A new article of manufacture including a bar of substantially uniformcross-sectional area and an ornamental tubular covering open at one endand telescopingly fitted on and permanently secured to said bar.

6. A new article of manufacture including a front member ofsubstantially uniform cross-sectional area and a clasping membercoacting therewith, and a tubular ornamental covering open at one endand closed at the other end and telescopingly fitted on and permanentlysecured to said front member to conceal the latter and forming anon-slipping tie engaging surface at the rear face of the front memberto cooperate with the clasping member.

'7. A new article of manufacture including a front metal member and arear metal member coacting therewith to clasp a necktie, and a coveringfor the front member of softer material than the front member andforming a non-slipping tie engaging surface at the rear face thereof tocushion the clasping action of the rear member.

8. A clasp comprising a front member and a rear member coacting with thefront member for clasping purposes, a covering for the front member, anda padding material between the rear face of the front member and thecovering.

9. A clasp including a front rigid metal member, and an ornamentalfibrous covering enveloping the front member and secured thereto andforming a non-slipping gripping surface at the rear face of the frontmember.

10. A clasp including a front metal member and a flexible fibrouscovering on the front member and fixedly secured thereto throughout itslength and. when secured thereto assuming the appearance of the rigidityof the front metal member but softening the exterior surface thereof andthereby in use increasing the frictional resistance of the front memberwith relation to materials clasped thereby and at the same time forminga non-slipping gripping surface at the rear face of the front member.

11. A necktie clasp comprising a front member adapted to extend over thefront of a necktie, a rear member adapted to claspingly cooperate withthe front member to clasp the necktie to the wearers shirt, and acovering of fibrous material for the front member to conceal the latterand forming a non-slipping tie gripping surface at the rear face of thefront member to increase the frictional resistance at the point ofclasping action between the front and rear members and to preventinjurious markings on the necktie.

12. A necktie clasp comprising a front member adapted to extend over thefront of a necktie, a

rear member adapted to claspingly cooperate with the front member toclasp the necktie to the wearers shirt, a covering for the front member,and relatively soft padding material confined by the covering betweenthe latter and the rear face of the front member.

13. A clasp comprising a rigid front bar and a clasping means coactingtherewith, and a covering of flexible material secured to the bar andforming a non-slipping gripping surface at the rear face of the frontbar to cooperate with the clasping means and having a cutaway portion toexpose a portion of the front surface of the front bar, the exposedportion of the bar being ornamental.

14. A clasp comprising a bar and a clasping means coacting therewith,flexible fibrous material permanently secured on the front and rearfaces of said bar and forming a non-slipping gripping surface at therear face thereof to cooperate with the clasping means, and anornamental device secured to and'exposed from the front face of the bar.

15. A clasp comprising a bar and a clasping means coacting therewith, afibrous covering for the bar permanently secured thereto, and a strip ofmetal spirally wound tightly around the covering for ornamental purposesand to assist in holding the covering on the bar.

16. A necktie holder having a front bar of substantially uniformcross-sectional area and provided at one end with a bend, a claspingmember and a sheath of soft flexible material open at one end and closedat the other and telescopingly fitted on the front bar and on the bendthereof and forming .a non-slipping tie gripping surface at the rearface of the front bar to cooperate with the clasping means in holding anecktie.

EDWIN 8. MIX.

